They are everywhere. We’ve all hit them. Sometimes, we hit them hard. Other times, we see them in time and get out of their wicked way.
Of course, we’re talking about the dreaded potholes that dot community streets across Centre County.
And, with the recent dramatic swings between unseasonable warmth and typical winter conditions, pothole problems are on the rise.
“Potholes can form literally overnight, and that’s what we’re seeing with these temperature swings,” state Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards said in a press release. “This year, we are seeing more concerns than usual and our crews are working aggressively to make repairs whenever weather permits.”
With Pennsylvania’s aggressive freeze-thaw cycle, roadways will always experience potholes. PennDOT crews will be working hard to repair pothole damage to nearly 40,000 miles of state-owned roadways.
Local community governments also are tending to the matter.
In State College Borough, director of public works Deborah Hoag said the department started receiving calls about large potholes on North Atherton Street a month ago. Since it is a state road, Hoag said the repairs are the responsibility of PennDOT, but she said the borough decided at that point to get out on residential streets.
“With the temperature changes all winter long, we wanted to stay on top off any issues,” said Hoag. “We have been going up and down the streets, kind of like snow-plow duty, repairing anything that needs it.”
She said potholes can be a problem for drivers in many different ways, from wear and tear to vehicles to potentially causing accidents. Hoag said these are the kind of things the borough is trying to prevent by staying on top of the situation.
Bellefonte assistant borough manager Don Holderman said that the roads in Bellefonte have not seen an abnormal amount of potholes this season. He said crews have been able to get out and fix any issues in a timely manner with temporary cold-patches. When the weather warms up, the borough will go back and fully repair any issues with a long-term solution.
Philipsburg Borough manager Joel Watson said the trick is to stay ahead of it.
“We’re very persistent about taking care of potholes,” Watson told the Centre County Gazette. “We’re not in too bad shape, to be honest. There are a few spots here and there that need some work, but overall, it’s not too bad.”
Watson said the borough work crew already has conducted one round of pothole repairs. When another is necessary, he said they’ll be at it again.
“Right now, we’re mostly concerned about the Curtis Park area,” he said. “It’s not as much about potholes there, but more so the replacement of waterlines. We’re basically following around the water company making any fixes we can.”
Watson said another weapon against borough potholes is communication. He said if a resident or traveling motorist has a problem with a pothole or other street issue, the borough crew is just a phone call, or email, away.
“Just get a hold of us, tell us what the problem is and where it’s at, and we’ll get out there,” he said.
THE FIX
Striking a pothole won’t only hurt a driver’s motoring pride. It also can hurt a driver’s wallet.
According to Will Stark, owner of Stark’s Auto in State College, pothole damage to vehicles start at the tires (flat, punctures, broken belt), works its way through the suspension system (springs, ball joints and tie-rods) and could force vehicle owners to pay a hefty realignment bill ($100 to $150).
“The problem we see mostly is tire failure,” said Stark. “And, tires nowadays can cost a pretty penny. If there are sharp edges around the potholes, they could blow out a tire. I’ve seen it many times.”
He said there’s no real way to avoid all the potholes on the roadways.
“You just have to grin and bear it,” he laughed. “I guess the only thing you can do is drive slowly and pay attention.’
